GOOD GROUNDING

There has been much publicity recently surrounding the fact that Norfolk is now Top Place in archaeological ratings, simply because of the vast amount of stuff being discovered here. Quality stuff, too, of a sort which makes headlines and forces changes in the way we talk and write about the county's history.
To state things baldly, in 2014/15 Norfolk had the highest number of recorded archaeological finds and treasure trove cases in the entire country. In more detail, there were over 15,000 recorded finds and 119 treasure trove cases, many of them deemed to be of regional, national or even international significance. All in one single twelve month period, too.
Why is this? Lots of reasons, no doubt, but Norfolk's geographical position to begin with. Whereas today it is Metro-trendy to dismiss the place as being way off the beaten track, findings suggest it was once right on track, the place to be, a key territory right at the heart of all the trans-Doggerland too-ing and fro-ing. And it is still largely rural, or agricultural, and has thus missed much of the deep development blight some other counties have suffered. 
I am sure there are many other reasons, too, but that will do for starters. And I confess the news set me thinking about north-west Norfolk, and the north and east Norfolk coastal areas, places where archaeology lives cheek by jowl with second homes and tripper-filled car parks. Made me realise, too, how blessed we are at having so much history at our disposal, as it were. And we're not talking stately homes, either.
For example, there have been the two Seahenge circles at Holme, the timbers from the second circle having been felled in 2049BC, exactly the same time as those felled to construct the first circle. Then there is the chalk reef off Sheringham and Cromer, recently protected by legislation but known about for at least 40 years; and tree pieces from swamped prehistoric Doggerland forests scattered on the beach at Brancaster.
At West Runton, the fossilised part-skeletons of an elephant and a rhino have been dug out of the darkly significant Cromer Forest Bed, at the foot of the cliffs; and of course, there is the Holt-Cromer Ridge itself. Then there are the two Roman roads which reach today's coastline at Holme and at Holkham; and a wonderfully preserved Iron Age encampment at Warham. And the golden torcs found at Ken Hill in the Heacham/Ringstead area; and the long-term archaeological study programme at Sedgeford.
To cap it all, of course, the Happisburgh hand axe and other worked flints, dated to about 900,000 years ago, which are of European significance; and the fleeting appearance of footprints on the beach, also at Happisburgh, made by a tiny group of Doggerland hunter-gatherers and now of international significance.
And more besides, I have no doubt. It all makes it such an interesting place to live.